How to Teach Children to Appreciate Foods From Other Cultures
Cultural diversity is an important concept that shapes us as people and as a society. Realizing its importance at an early age means understanding and appreciating that people are different, and this is what makes the world more interesting. In particular, educating children early on different foods, eating habits and eating habits can help them understand, appreciate, and accept people from different walks of life later in life.
The Lunchbox Moment has been the subject of countless personal essays as many adult immigrants may relate to it. What is a staple food at home can often be perceived by the public as alien and exotic, creating an atmosphere of shame or hostility among peers in the cafeteria. Fortunately, media awareness and pop culture has shed light on school lifestyles and educate parents on how to teach their children to not only accept, but also be grateful for the food of other civilizations.
Here are some practical tips you can try at home to introduce your kids and the whole family to a variety of eating habits.
Explain the cultural significance
Food culture is often determined by religion, geography, lifestyle and family beliefs. By explaining the cultural significance of certain foods in certain parts of the world, you can make your dinner more interesting and educational. A great way to do this is to explore food traditions online and talk to friends from different ethnic backgrounds.
Look at the symbolism of some vegetables and fruits. For example, if your child has never tasted pomegranate and doesn’t want to try it, tell them that eating a pomegranate can make him smarter – in Judaism, each of the 613 pomegranate seeds (make them count the seeds if they don’t). believe you) means one of the 613 commandments of the Torah, the Hebrew holy book.
Want to cut back on your meat intake? Introduce the Indian diet, which mainly consists of lentils, rice, wheat, and vegetables. Explain how most Hindus avoid eating meat to minimize pain to other life forms and to keep their body and mind clean.
Have fun with food projects
Using a variety of eating utensils makes eating fun and playful. Use chopsticks on sushi night and season them with familiar flavors like California rolls or tempura shrimp rolls to make them gravitate towards Japanese cuisine. Buy a thali (Indian bento box) that divides curry and bread into sections.
Who doesn’t love emoji pancakes? One way to encourage kids to try new things is to give them easily recognizable shapes like hearts, stars, animals, and whimsical scenes. Draw a Dominican-style plate with steamed rice instead of palm trunks, fried bananas for leaves, and black beans for soil. It will also open up a discussion of the country’s landscape and geography.
(Check out these fun culinary art ideas on Instagram for incredible inspiration.)
Cook and eat together
During the isolation, many families began to cook at home to keep themselves occupied, save money and eat healthier meals. Others have initiated a series of “palatine journeys” for themselves, preparing food from different locations every week.
It’s more fun to experiment with new foods if the whole family is involved. You can collectively research recipes online, watch YouTube videos, follow food blogs, read recipe books, and create your own theme nights. Go to farmers’ markets or specialty grocery stores to buy ingredients. Create a stage with decorations and atmosphere – for a Moroccan dinner, anyone can sit on the living room floor at a coffee table; For an Ethiopian meal, eat from one plate with your hands only.
Observe table etiquette in every country. For example, in the Middle East, you eat with your right hand only, and your left hand is for sanitary purposes. In Ethiopia, it is customary to feed each other. In China, noisy sipping of noodles is perfectly acceptable, and burping at the end of a meal is considered a compliment!
A career in culinary
Television shows like MasterChef Junior , The Big Family Cooking Showdown, and Kids Baking Championship have made kids more interested in the culinary arts. In addition to involving the whole family in the kitchen, you can also play creative games that reflect popular cooking shows and culinary professions such as being a chef, pastry chef, food contest judge , food blogger, or food critic.
Encourage the children to slowly chew on unfamiliar food and describe it verbally, especially when tasting unfamiliar food, rather than immediately blaming it as “nasty”. Ask them to explain what the food looks like, how it smells, what aromas stand out, and what they like or dislike. These conversations can help children express their reactions to food in a meaningful way rather than using offensive words or sounds. It also helps them understand their taste better and also expands their vocabulary.
Encourage courtesy
Understand that there will be times when the dish in front of them will simply not be appetizing. Even as an adult, I have encountered situations where my preconceived notions prevented me from accepting, let alone enjoying new things (think whale steak in Greenland, duck embryo in the Philippines, and camel milk in Mongolia). But I realized that if people have been eating and drinking these things for centuries, things cannot be so bad.
It is best to talk to your children about how to deal with these situations before they arise. Part of the cultural education makes them realize that all people are different and have unique eating habits. Some may like sour and pungent tastes, while others may like sweet or spicy. All types of food offer a variety of nutrients that are important to us humans. We should not criticize people for what they eat, as this also implies that we do not respect their families, heritage and culture.
Inspire young eaters to be open-minded and always accept whatever is offered to them, even if it’s just a polite little bite. Set an example by tasting it first and being kind. When kids see Mom, Dad, and older siblings enjoying a certain meal, they are more likely to take an interest in it and not want to pass up the opportunity to share their experiences.
Sucheta Raval is an award-winning food and travel writer and author of the Beato Goes To series of children’s books on travel and culture. Follow her on Twitter @ SuchetaRawal .